Ex-Minister Kawasi Lakhma Arrested in Rs 2,161 Crore Liquor Scam

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma in a major liquor scam case valued at Rs 2,161 crore. The probe alleges that Lakhma was the primary beneficiary of illegal commissions from liquor sales, with bribes collected on a vast scale through various illicit means.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma on Wednesday in connection with an alleged Rs 2,161 crore liquor scam. Lakhma, a prominent Congress leader, is accused of receiving substantial monthly cash payments from proceeds of crime linked to the extensive scam. He is the sixth individual apprehended in this case.

According to the ED, Lakhma was a primary recipient of the illicit funds during his tenure as excise minister. The investigation reveals that the scam, operational between 2019 and 2022, generated illegal commissions through multiple channels, implicating state involvement in the misappropriation of funds.

The agency disclosed that bribes were solicited from distillery companies for each 'case' of liquor procured by the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL). Furthermore, the sale of 'kacha off-the-books' country liquor contributed significantly to the illegal revenue stream, ensuring that no proceeds reached the state's treasury while being pocketed by an entrenched syndicate.

Bribery practices extended to forming a cartel for market control and introducing entrants in the foreign liquor market, as per ED details. Last December, ED's Raipur unit executed search operations across seven locations, targeting residences in Raipur, Dhamtari, and Sukma, including those of Lakhma, his son, Harish, and their associates.

The search operations yielded evidence of cash utilization from illicit proceeds by Lakhma during the scam period and led to the seizure of several digital devices suspected of holding incriminating data. Earlier probes identified a liquor syndicate involving Anwar Dhebar, Anil Tuteja, and others as pivotal. Properties worth Rs 205 crore have been attached, and legal proceedings have commenced, aligning with findings taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

(With inputs from agencies.)